Everest Base Camp, Base camp at 5150 meters in Tingri County, China.
Everest Base Camp is a seasonal tent settlement at 5,150 meters (16,900 feet) on the rocky moraine beneath the north face of Mount Everest. It consists of a cluster of expedition tents, a supply depot, and equipment storage areas set up by climbing teams each spring. The camp has no permanent buildings; everything is packed out after the season.
China opened this region to foreign climbers in 1980, creating a new route for Everest expeditions from the north. This decision established the base camp as a major staging point for mountaineering teams attempting the mountain.
Colorful prayer flags flutter throughout the campsite, expressing reverence for the mountain that dominates the landscape. They show how climbers and local believers share a common respect for this sacred place.
The camp sits at 5,150 meters on the gravel flats below the north face, reached by road from Tingri past Rongbuk Monastery. Foreign visitors need a Tibet Travel Permit arranged through a licensed agency, plus a Chinese visa and an Alien's Travel Permit for the restricted area. Altitude sickness is the main risk; ascend slowly and allow days to acclimatize before going higher.
The north-side base camp sits at 5,150 meters, roughly 170 meters higher than the Rongbuk Monastery nearby at 4,980 meters. Climbers pass the monastery's white stupa and prayer-flag poles on the final drive to camp, a landmark visible from the approach road.
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